This & That/Dis & Das – Gray Day Ramblings

Alright, quick update. This week has largely been uneventful and the weather quite grey (but at least not wet). I’m feeling slightly deceived by the summer weather that graced my first weekend here. HostDad left on Sunday morning for Texas and so it’s just been HostMom and I, and Matti of course! I expected this would be a hectic week full of dirty diapers, dropping Matti off, retrieving him, etc. It just so happens though, that today (Thursday) is a national holiday. Given that the holiday falls on a Thursday, many business just say to hell with it on the Friday and call it a “bridge weekend.” Loves it.

Yesterday was my first trip into Hanover. Hanover is the capital of Lower Saxony (the “province” if you will) that Celle lies in. It is about a 25 minute train ride and will cost you 18 Euro round trip if you don’t have a discount card (which I don’t). HostMom needed to meet with a lawyer for a couple hours so I took the opportunity to head into the city. I had a couple hours to wander about so I meandered through the winding streets of the ‘downtown’ and did some window shopping. After I that I poked into a 4 (or 5?) level mall. I’m very pleased with the abundance of good shopping in Hanover and will have to make a subsequent trip when I have more time…and perhaps a shopping buddy. Spent the rest of the time in a Starbucks (I know…) reading an international business textbook. I was thrilled to be reading the chapter on the European Union..and sipping a caramel machiatto in Europe! Delightful! On the whole I found Hanover to be very underwhelming. Perhaps I had grander visions for all Euro cities after traveling to Paris, Zurich, Rome, Athens. Or perhaps I’m spoiled in Celle because the Altstadt* is so charming.

*Altstadt – pronounced: alt-sch-dat. Translates to “old city” or, the city centre/downtown that is the oldest part. Generally it’s closed off to car traffic.

Today’s holiday is the Christian observed ‘Ascension Day.’ (The day that Jesus took the elevator to Heaven as Carmen joked.) News to me! But I’ll take what I can get. The highlight of my day was a trip to the Hanover Zoo. This marks my first official visit to a zoo! (Sorry, Edmonton Zoo in -30 in January does not count ) Moreover, this was my first encounter with my mostest, favoritest animal: the noble giraffe. Usually I feel some sort of sadness for animals confined for the purpose of gawking humans, but since the rhinos were the only animals walking laps around their enclosure I was content to unabashedly stare. Upon leaving I succumbed to the gift store and bought a giraffe stuffie. Now I have an Australian one, and a German one! OMG I’m going to become one of those people who start collecting animal things…if you’re reading this, please don’t start inundating me with giraffe trinkets! On a side note, this zoo was frickin expensive! 21 Euro for people over the age of 17! You can ascend the Eiffel tower nearly twice times for that price!